lisa_vautier's review
5.0
For the first two of the three novellas ( or as Porter preferred - short novels)in this edition I felt that I was reading with appreciation and admiring the writing rather being immersed in the stories. I found myself reading them in bits with lunch, enjoying her language and most particularly her observations. The last novella "Pale Horse, Pale Rider was an entirely different experience - I ate my lunch and kept reading until I finished and that evening I read it a second time. It is a brilliant read.
tabitha997's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
gnomeyjo's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
eralon's review against another edition
4.0
I came here for pandemic fiction so perhaps it's my bias that made me like Pale Horse best. I wasn't expecting the perspective of the sick person and it's incredible. Old Mortality was my second favorite though and with its three sections, it had a short story collection vibe. Noon Wine was not for me, but I could appreciate that it was very well-written.
caroparr's review against another edition
4.0
Three short novels (as she called them) that explore various states of mind. "Old Mortality" is the story of a charismatic young woman whose early death prompts her nieces to imagine what she was really like; "Noon Wine" is an astonishing story about a struggling farmer who takes in a silent Swede who turns the farm around before tragedy strikes; and the final story is why I picked up this book in the first place. Miranda is a very modern newspaper reporter in 1918 who meets up with a soldier who's headed for the front. The spectre of death hovers over both of them, Adam because the odds are that he will be killed in battle, Miranda because she comes down with influenza just as the Spanish flu pandemic is taking hold. The descriptions of her hallucinations, confused thinking, dreams and occasional returns to reality are gripping. Unforgettable.
sophronisba's review
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Three brilliantly crafted longish short stories, each dealing with death and memory in some way. Made me long to read more Porter.
katgand's review
slow-paced
4.5
death and such! It really did take work to settle into, but worth it through and through